Memory Replacement: worse than dying

When he comes out, the sun is going down. Outside the detention centre there is a small quiet street. The shade is not coming from high rise buildings, but from tall trees. France didn't know there's a place like this in the city. Who can imagine a detention centre can be in such a peaceful place? He keeps walking around. Right by the end of the street he sees a small bar. France suddenly feels thirsty. The automatic door opens as he stands in front of it. The bar is mostly empty. A young girl with black hair is sitting at a corner. She is trying hard to suppress her thought but France can understand she is very worried about something.

France pours himself a drink and sits near the girl. The girl looks at him and smiles nervously. "Are you coming from the centre?", She asks.

France nods, "Yes."

"They took away Shawn last afternoon. Maybe it is time they let him go."

France wants to ask who Shawn is but doesn't.

"Shawn and I are old friends. We will get married next spring." The girl tells him.

"That's wonderful. Congrats." France says.

"Thanks. We tried hard to get permission. Getting marriage permission is hard for class-C people."

"Why did they take Shawn to the centre?" France asks.

The girl tries to smile again, "No reason at all. They'll let him go once they scan his brain, right?"

France nods as he takes a sip, "Yes. They didn't find anything from me."

"Nothing at all?" The girl asks impatiently.

"No. But they found out everything in my mind."

The girl now seems scared, "Everything? They knew everything?"

"Yes. They even know I don't like cheddar cheese."

The girls takes a long sip from her glass. "They won't find anything bad in Shawn's brain, right?"

"Of course not." France replies.

After finishing rest of her drink in one sip she asks, "What if they find something by mistake?"

"They're not supposed to make any mistake."

"You're right." The girl nods.

France looks at her. She's trying to look calm but actually she's really uncomfortable inside.

The door opens and another man enters the bar. The girl jumps up, "SHAWN!"

Shawn doesn't look like he heard her. Walks to the dispenser and pours himself a drink. The girl says in a loud voice, "I've been waiting for you since morning, Shawn–"

Shawn looks at her. "Are you talking to me?"

"Who else then? Shawn-" The girl hugs him and he frees himself at once. She wasn't ready for this. France holds her from falling. The girl calls again, "Shawn–"

"I'm not Shawn."

The girl screams, "What are you saying, Shawn?"

"I'm not Shawn. My name is August."

"Shawn! What are you saying. Look at me. I'm Lira."

"I'm sorry. You've got the wrong person. I don't know you. I've never seen you before."

The girl cries out, "Shawn, darling- we have waited for so long to be together. Look at me. Please look at me..."

The man walks away. Lira tries to follow her but France holds her back.

"Lira, wait." He says.

"NO! SHAWN–"

"He's not Shawn!" France says in a louder voice.

Lira looks at him. She can't understand him.

"They replaced his memory. This man is not Shawn." France says softly.